Twelve Encounters of Rogue Stars

I’ve not done a lot of blogging in 2017, although I have posted a lot of pictures directly on the the facebook account for MyWargame and I thought a post was overdue. I did spent a lot of hobby time working on sci-fi models this year so as a bit of fun, here’s some of the highlights with the context of the Rogue Stars campaign that I’m continuing to run for a growing group of players.

Full disclosure, I run my own variation of the Rogue Star rules and I act as GM for all of the games which have a huge sweeping plot to drive the narrative forward. I can only credit my players for the story and plot development that have made the campaign so successful – all I’ve done is weave their ideas into the same continuity so they can meet and impact each other.

So with no further ado, here’s the 12 Encounters of Rogue Stars, with apologies for some terrible rhyming and not fitting the metre:

“In my last game of Rogue Stars, my GM unleashed on me…”

12 Zombies a-lurching

Zombies have been seen on various planets in the Rogue Stars campaign. Whether representing the undead, plague victims, mutants or in one memorable game rioters, they’ve always been shambling about as a horde, making players who took flame throwers really happy. Notably zombies have the accolade for “most run over creature” as their ability to dodge vehicles is pretty poor. Zombies don’t look like they are going away from the narrative any time soon as all of the reasons for them popping up are still at large in the galaxies! The models on show here are all Mantic, with GW graveyard and trees in the background and gravestones from Renedra.

11 Drones a-droning

A big part of the narrative in the Rogue Stars campaign is a long gone civilisation that helpfully left automated annihilation drones around the galaxies. Some of these drones are found in space stations and asteroid bases, others have found their way into private collections as antiques or technology curiosities. These smaller drones are a less threatening variety, although in large enough numbers they are still very dangerous. Sadly they rarely come without heavier back up… The models here are GW Tau drones, with some Lord of the Rings ruins in the background, plus some home made rock formations.

10 Rogues a-sneaking

Named for the game itself, the galaxies are full of individuals and small teams of rogue characters who are as visually varied as their motives. Ever useful in games as contacts, targets and foes, I’ve got a growing selection of scum and villainy to pull from. The models here are a healthy mix of Krakon games Star Grind models and genuine Rogue Stars figures from Northstar. This motley gang are hanging around in front of an old Star Wars TIE Interceptor now doing duty as scenery.

9 Lasers lancing

Against the horrors that are regularly unleashed on my players in the Rogue Stars universe, there’s also the normal people of the populated worlds to think about. Many of these are part of the 3rd Galactic Imperium, a largely benevolent empire founded from a human populated core of worlds. The Imperium tries to protect its citizens with the fleet and army it sends to the far reaches of its borders. This is an example of a couple of trooper squads defending an outpost. For many of my players, the forces of the Imperium may end up fighting against them as often as with them, depending on the mission and motives to hand. One of my players represents the Imperium so usually at least, at least he knows which side he’s on… The figures here are a mix of Heresy and Hasslefree. The scenery is made from Hirst arts molds.

8 Egg sacs pulsing

Well this can’t be good. A very recent addition to the plot, these egg stacks have appeared on a few planets inexplicably and so far have been destroyed on sight – no samples taken by our players (that anyone has admitted to anyway). The only link so far appears to be to a particular scientist (more on him later) who has been associated with the nefarious Bell Tower corporation, the origin of one of my player’s teams. Whatever might hatch out of these and where they came from is going to be something my players need to be worried about going forward into the next campaign phase. Models from Krakon games again.

7 Mek-nificnent Meks

Its the ABC warriors from 2000 AD in all their Technicolor glory. Based on their appearances in the Blackhole storyline (which is why Mek-Quake has a bipedal body rather than kill dozer one) this team has turned in in parts and collectively a few times in the campaign. The beauty of having a wide collection of sci-fi models is that proxies are never too far off the mark, so when I’ve needed an announcer robot or war-mek, I borrow one of these guys. Most recently the whole squad was deployed defending a research base on some far flung planet and by the end of the game most of them were in need of serious repair, although Mongrol did pull the arms and legs off the prize Jaeger from one player’s team. The models here are a mix from Foundry and Mongoose, sadly I think now all out of production, although I believe Warlord now have the licence so maybe I’ll get to fill some more gaps or get some variant figures, like Mek-Quake Kill Dozer mode or Steelhorn. Scenery is from 4Square and my own home made rocks again.

6 Demons slaying

One of my players has been dabbling with dark powers since quite early in the first phase of the campaign. As a result I found more and more opportunities to introduce unusual foes into the ongoing story. Here’s 6 assorted demons on the hunt, fast and deadly in melee to really worry those ranged based player teams! Most of these figures are Malifaux, the purple tots and winged demon at the back plastic and the lovely red head an old metal. The Oogie Boogie model I sculpted myself. Origin of the old expanded foam ruin unsure sorry!

5 Undead things

Zombies are the the very least of most players worries in the campaign, especially when considering the forces of undeath. It turns out in the campaign that one of my player’s old leaders, long thought vanished, has instead become the emissary for the forces of the dead (I’ve been using my Sauron model) and so all sorts of unpleasant monsters have come crawling out of the older places on planets throughout the galaxies. The players have faced some of these nasties – Wights (from Mantic), Werewolves (Krakon games), Winged Death and Banshees (both GW), some of the more powerful undead monsters to be encountered so far. The mausoleum is from Reaper.

4 Appalling droids

Robots behaving badly is a theme that’s becoming a worrying trend in the campaign. If its not ancient drones or battle meks, its crazy home brew inventions without structured programming. This selection of ramshackle robots are appropriately enough from Ramshackle games and are all the minions of the same crazy scientist who is experimenting with the alien eggs. I enjoyed painting these up in in mono-coloured schemes and have a few more to add to the growing ranks of out of control droids the players will face in future encounters.

3 Lizardmens

We’ve not been to many verdant worlds in the campaign so far, the majority being variously metropolitan, industrialised, arid or tomb worlds. I intend to have at least one encounter on a more organic planet in the next phase so some of the more interesting models I have, like these Krakon games Lizard folk, can feel at home (not these these 3 haven’t turned up on a Neo-Tokyo style city already). I do have a number of other creatures and rogues who will enjoy a more outdoorsy adventure, I wonder if my players will agree. Trees are from GW, the ponds, tree stump, mushrooms and lily pads all made myself.

2 Plot points that I love

My Rogue Stars campaign has been through 2 distinct phases, each ending with a memorable encounter.

The first phase saw a climatic battle to try and stop one of my players and his chaotic allies from summoning the Avatar of Madness into the universe. Alas the other players failed and Cthulhu arrived to cause chaos on reality! One of the largest “miniatures” I own, you can see here he towers over my hills and the lovely in theme obelisk from Fenris. Never easily put off, the less Lovecraftian players fought on, at almost the last possible dice roll blowing the squid faced terror into meaty lumps.

The second phase came to a head when all of the mysterious goings on led to a strange planet full of unusual experiments. The dead were walking, alien eggs were growing, mad robots were guarding everything. In a deep bunker, the forces of the Imperium confronted the mad scientist Dr Krieger in his lab and put a stop to his plans – only to discover he was only one of many clones scattered throughout the universe.

Both of these models are from Reaper, Dr Krieger is a very minor conversion to tame his hair and add a tie to make him resemble his namesake.

and an Inquisitor in an AV

Finally then we have one of the recurring antagonists in the campaign. Although he’s not been seen for a while, the name of Inquistor Windu keeps popping up because its his off the books science facilities that have caused so much chaos and destruction in the name of the Imperium’s fight against the wider evils in the universe. Indirectly he’s responsible for the many zombie outbreaks and caused demon attacks on several worlds due to the discoveries he’s made. Ultimately though he’s uncovered some of the more powerful, if unusual, weapons in the fight against the dark powers that are rising in the Rogue Star’s galaxies so it can only be a matter of time before the players stumble across tank tracks they recognise and find what terrible secret he’s been working on now. Both the Rhino and Inquisitor here are GW models.